Mixed Number Unit Rate Calculator

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Mixed Number Unit Rate Calculator
Whole Number
Numerator
Denominator
Label (e.g., Miles)
Whole Number
Numerator
Denominator
Label (e.g., Hours)
Calculation Result

Understanding Mixed Number Unit Rates

A unit rate is a comparison of two different quantities where the second quantity is reduced to one. When dealing with real-world measurements—like running 5 ½ miles in ¾ of an hour—we often encounter mixed numbers. A mixed number consists of a whole number and a proper fraction.

The Formula for Unit Rate

To find the unit rate from mixed numbers, you divide the first quantity by the second:

Unit Rate = (Quantity A) ÷ (Quantity B)

Step-by-Step Calculation Process

  1. Convert Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions: Multiply the whole number by the denominator and add the numerator. Place this over the original denominator.
  2. Apply Division Logic: To divide fractions, multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal (the flipped version) of the second fraction.
  3. Simplify: Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together, then simplify the resulting fraction or convert it to a decimal.

Example Calculation

Imagine a chef uses 2 ½ cups of flour to make 1 ¼ batches of cookies. What is the unit rate (flour per batch)?

  • Convert: 2 ½ = 5/2. 1 ¼ = 5/4.
  • Divide: 5/2 ÷ 5/4 = 5/2 × 4/5.
  • Solve: (5 × 4) / (2 × 5) = 20 / 10 = 2.
  • Result: 2 cups of flour per batch.
function calculateUnitRate() { var w1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('w1').value) || 0; var n1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('n1').value) || 0; var d1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('d1').value) || 1; var l1 = document.getElementById('l1').value || "units"; var w2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('w2').value) || 0; var n2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('n2').value) || 0; var d2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('d2').value) || 1; var l2 = document.getElementById('l2').value || "units"; if (d1 === 0 || d2 === 0) { alert("Denominator cannot be zero."); return; } // Convert Mixed to Improper: (W * D + N) / D var improperNum1 = (w1 * d1) + n1; var improperDen1 = d1; var improperNum2 = (w2 * d2) + n2; var improperDen2 = d2; if (improperNum2 === 0) { alert("The divisor quantity cannot be zero."); return; } // Division: (A/B) / (C/D) = (A * D) / (B * C) var finalNum = improperNum1 * improperDen2; var finalDen = improperDen1 * improperNum2; var decimalResult = finalNum / finalDen; // Simplify Fraction function getGCD(a, b) { return b ? getGCD(b, a % b) : a; } var common = Math.abs(getGCD(finalNum, finalDen)); var simplifiedNum = finalNum / common; var simplifiedDen = finalDen / common; // Display Results var resultArea = document.getElementById('mn-result-area'); var resultSummary = document.getElementById('mn-result-summary'); var stepByStep = document.getElementById('mn-step-by-step'); resultArea.style.display = "block"; var unitLabel = l1 + " per " + l2.replace(/s$/, ""); // Simple singularization attempt resultSummary.innerHTML = decimalResult.toLocaleString(undefined, {maximumFractionDigits: 4}) + " " + unitLabel; var steps = "Step 1: Convert to improper fractions"; steps += "Quantity 1: " + improperNum1 + "/" + improperDen1 + ""; steps += "Quantity 2: " + improperNum2 + "/" + improperDen2 + ""; steps += "Step 2: Divide fractions (Multiply by Reciprocal)"; steps += "(" + improperNum1 + "/" + improperDen1 + ") × (" + improperDen2 + "/" + improperNum2 + ")"; steps += "Step 3: Simplify"; steps += "Fraction: " + simplifiedNum + "/" + simplifiedDen + ""; steps += "Decimal: " + decimalResult.toFixed(4); stepByStep.innerHTML = steps; resultArea.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }

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